History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c92.83

v7.c92.83

Letters form words and words form mantras, that are the power incarnate of Śakti. Then the Śāradātilaka describes āsana, maṇḍapa, kuṇḍa, maṇḍala, pīṭhas (on which images of gods are to be placed), dīkṣā (initiation), prāṇapratiṣṭhā (vivifying images), production of sacrificial fire. The Śāradātilaka (I. 109 and V. 81-91), the Varivasyārahasya (II. 80), the Paraśurāmakalpasūtra (I. 4, 'Ṣaṭ-triṁśat tattvāni viśvam') and other Tāntrik and Āgamic works enumerate 36 tattvas (including those of the sāṅkhya system). From chap. VII. to XXIII mantras of different deities, their formation, use and results, abhiṣekas and mudrās are described. Yantras are dealt with in chap. XXIV and Yoga in chap. XXV. It must be said to the credit of the Śāradātilaka that it treats of only mantras and mudrās and hardly anywhere treats of the other makāras. The Śāradātilaka has been profusely quoted as an authoritative Tantra by medieval Dharmaśāstra writers like Govindānanda, Raghunandana, Kamalākara, Nīlakaṇṭha, Mitramiśra and orthers. In J. G J. R I. vol. III. pp 97-108 M. M. Gopinath Kavirāja contributes a learned paper on nāda, bindu and kalā and takes great pains to elucidate these and hopes that his exposition will make the meaning of these words clear (p. 103). But the author feels grave doubts whether most readers will find the meanings clear.